Wilkins Engineering: A One-stop Shop for Power Solutions in Ghana and West Africa

Profile: About Wilkins Engineering

Ghana’s power deficit has, over the years, presented many challenges to resident, commercial and industrial consumers in the economy, which is considered one of West Africa’s success stories.

In the midst of those challenges come opportunities, which are only tapped by a rare breed of indigenous entrepreneurs.

To be able to turn these challenges into business opportunities, one must possess outstanding acumens for business and a passion to help better the lot of the people.

One such success story, which is now a testament of the rare breed of indigenous entrepreneurship development in Ghana, is Wilkins Engineering, Ghana’s world-class engineering company, founded by Omane Frimpong.

Breakdown of operations

The company currently has six departments which handle specific segments of its operations.
Pathetic departments are: Engineering Construction & Design, Finance, Human Resource & Administration, Marketing, Project and Transport department.

Among other things, reports on progress of work on the site are often submitted to the head office weekly and that helps the marketing officers to communicate to clients on the progress of work.

Wilkins currently has 76 permanent employees, made up of electrical and civil engineers, technicians, administrative staff (accountants, marketers, human resource personnel, transport officers) and drivers, who execute its agenda.

Roots

The company started operations in 1993 as a one-man firm, providing electrical solutions to individuals and businesses in the nation’s sprawling capital, Accra.
Initially as a staff of Ghana’s Ministry of Energy, Frimpong saw a business opportunity in the government’s drive to increase access to electricity.

As a result, he resigned from his job to set up Wilkins as a sole-proprietor, which he hoped would help realise the government’s vision while creating employment for Ghana’s teaming youth.

It has blossomed into a one-stop shop for (international) firms that have projects in the development of power infrastructure in Africa.

The government project, however, delayed, forcing Wilkins to look for alternative projects to work with while hoping that the project would come on stream.
Its first business was a rural electrification project using solar, which the company executed to perfection. Within two decades it has blossomed into a one-stop shop for (international) firms that have projects in the development of power infrastructure in Africa. Wilkins Engineering provides sustainable power solutions to companies using RE technology.

Its current operations cover all ten regions of Ghana and the company has plans to open an office in Liberia by the close of 2015.
The company’s commitment to standards in the industry and its consistent strive for innovation has earned it many awards and recognitions, including the being award the best Electrical and Electronics Service provider by the Association of Ghana industries (AGI) at its Ghana Industry Awards in 2013.
It was also adjudged the Fastest Growing Company at the awards ceremony, which celebrates excellence in Ghana’s manufacturing sector.

Products & Services

The company’s expertise cut across the broad range of electrical engineering, stretching from grid extensions to solar energy.

It offers homeowners, businesses, and institutions the opportunity to save on electricity bills through the provision of solar systems that reduce their reliance on the grid. Through that the company helps clients to generate their own electricity, which has a long-term impact on their revenues and the national grid in general.

Also, because the company is an electrical contractors that focuses on electric power infrastructure, it provides the following engineering procurement construction (EPC) for the below listed:

1. Solar power plants
2. Sub transmission networks
3. Power Distribution networks
4. Service connections
5. Substations
6. Low voltage (LV) panels and feeder pillars
7. Street lighting

Focus

Wilkins Engineering’s general objective is to help ease the electricity burden facing people in Africa. As a result, its target market centers in emerging markets and Africa, where over 600 million people are living without electricity.

The power deficit in the continent means that huge investment are required to procure infrastructure that can mitigate the problem in Africa. Currently, the access rates in most African markets are below 30 per cent.

With huge experiences acquired from working in some of the remotest places in Ghana and Liberia, Wilkins now hopes to partner with governments, multinational EPC firms, agencies and NGOs to help increase the electricity access rates in Africa, which will bring about a boost in economic growth.

The company has, over the years remained committed to industry standards, quality service delivery and innovation, which have, over the years, earned it numerous recognitions from the industry and across Ghana. Its core values are EXCELLENCE, PRECISION, HIGH BUSINESS INTERGRITY, CUSTOMER FOCUS, CREATIVITY and TEAMWORK, which carry the acronym EPIC2T.

About Omane Frimpong, the founder and CEO

Interview with Omane Frimpong: Partner for Electricity Engineering Projects in West Africa: Wilkins Engineering

Omane Frimpong has a vast range of experience in the electrical engineering sector spanning over 30 years. He has gained past working experience from the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Ministry of Energy.

He is the immediate past president of the Association of Ghana Solar Industries. He serves on many advisory and ad hoc boards of the energy sector in Ghana. He is a member of the Ghana Institute of Engineers.

Frimpong holds an MBA in Finance from Sterling University in Scotland and a first degree in Electrical Engineering from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).